If the early weeks of new parenthood feel harder than you expected, you're not the only one. Check in with your care provider about what follow-up looks like for you in the coming months.
A note before you read on: Some people arrive at this page carrying loss. If you gave birth and your baby is not with you, you deserve support that meets you where you are. Our Service Finder can connect you with perinatal grief support, peer-based and professional.
What to expect in the fourth trimester
The fourth trimester is the first 12 weeks (or three months) after birth: a distinct stage of physical recovery, hormonal adjustment and psychological change, not just "early parenthood." You need as much attention now as you did during pregnancy, if not more. A birthing parent and their infant are a connected pair, not separate: when the parent is supported, the infant benefits too.
Society spends an enormous amount of time preparing people for labour and delivery, but far less preparing them for what comes after. Once the baby arrives, attention often shifts to the infant, leaving the parent's own recovery undersupported, right when a lack of social support and increased stress can wear down your sense of wellbeing.
If the early weeks feel overwhelming and nothing like you imagined, that doesn't mean something has gone wrong. It means you're in a genuinely hard stage, true for the birthing parent and non-birthing co-parent alike. Everyone needs care during this time.
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References
This article was developed using sourced educational content from Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Trainings (CPMHT), and informed by the collective knowledge and expertise of CPMHT professionals and Karen Clarke, BA, MSW, RSW, Doula (Open Book Doula, Counselling and Consulting Services), as well as the following cited research and clinical practice guidelines:
Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT). Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in the Perinatal Period. CANMAT: 2024.
Dennis, C.-L. et al. "Paternal Prevalence and Risk Factors for Comorbid Depression and Anxiety across the First 2 Years Postpartum: A Nationwide Canadian Cohort Study."
Hannan, J. et al. "Comparing Mothers' Postpartum Concerns in 2 Clinical Trials 18 Years Apart." Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 28, no. 11 (2016): 604–11.
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. 2024. Healthy Beginnings. 4th ed. 2024.
Tully, K. et al. "The Fourth Trimester: A Critical Transition Period with Unmet Maternal Health Needs." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 217, no. 1 (2017): 37–41.
Verbiest, S. et al. "Promoting Maternal and Infant Health in the 4th Trimester." Zero to Three 37, no. 3 (2017): 34–44.
Mixed feelings about pregnancy
Not everyone feels instant joy, and that says nothing bad about you. Why mixed emotions are common, and what can help.
Baby blues and pinks: What they are, and when should you be concerned
Mood swings in the first weeks after birth are common. What's behind them, what helps and when to check in.